Award-Winning Agri-Scientist Samarendu Mohanty Critiques MSP, Suggests Alternative Support For Farmers

Bhubaneswar: Vice-president at agriculture think-tank, The Rice Trader, Samarendu Mohanty received the 2024 Top Agri-Food Pioneer award from the World Food Prize Foundation on August 27.

After a three-decade long international career as an agriculture scientist and economist, Mohanty, who now enjoys a US citizenship, is back in his country of origin, India. On August 31, he met Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on an official invitation and discussed ways to support farmers.

He advocates diversification, climate-resilient practices, and market linkages, including exports.

In particular, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy sought his advice on how the state, which is rice surplus, can improve crop varieties and create a brand for its rice. Hyderabad and adjoining areas have several seed companies having their research and development facilities.

Telangana CM asked Mohanty for advice on developing the state’s seed production value chain and transforming Hyderabad into a seed innovation center. Mohanty offered his advice and agreed to work with the Telangana government to achieve this goal.

Talking about Odisha, where he originally comes from, Mohanty says he has worked with over 20,000 Odisha farmers in the past seven years as the Regional Director of the International Potato Center. Reflecting on the recent Odisha potato crisis, Mohanty believes that Odisha’s potato production can improve significantly if the farmers use improved seeds, particularly Hybrid True Potato Seeds (HTPS).

Currently, tuber seeds account for 50% of farming cost per hectare. It will be significantly reduced if HTPS is used. Mohanty also finds it wrong to plant paddy in the Rabi season in Odisha just because the groundwater levels support it.

Having two paddy seasons a year will not improve the farmers’ income. Instead, crop diversification is the right way to go.

Talking about the long-drawn farmers’ unrest in the country, Mohanty says farmers need support as farming alone can’t support 300 million people who may be directly engaged in this sector.

Giving a Minimum Support Price (MSP) discourages farmers from cultivating non-MSP crops, which is a regressive move. So while farmers need support, they don’t essentially need it by way of MSP. The farming sector has too many people, and other sectors need to absorb people from this sector to make agriculture leaner and profitable for the remaining people.

For any technology and mechanization to bring results and make farmers self-reliant, the farmers should have at least 10 hectares of land. People who don’t cultivate their land are concerned about renting their farmland.

They fear the tenant may create problems when the time comes to return the land to the owner. So, providing a strong legal framework and creating a reliable farm rental market is essential to making agriculture profitable in India. Also, farmers must see themselves more as entrepreneurs and address their problems accordingly.

In his career as an agriculture scientist and economist spanning over three decades, Mohanty has taught at premier US universities and occupied leadership roles in prestigious agriculture organizations.

Mohanty, 59, was born and brought up in Bhubaneswar. He completed bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Marketing and Cooperation (1985-1989) from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, followed by a master’s degree (1990-1992) and PhD (1992-95) in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska, Lincolnshire, England.

From July 1994 to June 2000, Mohanty worked as a Scientist & Adjunct faculty in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University. Then, he switched over to Texas Tech University, where he worked as Associate Professor and Associate Director from July 2000 to May 2008.

In his next career move, he joined the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines, as Principal Scientist, Program Leader, and Social Sciences Division Head.

Subsequently, he joined the International Potato Centre (CIP) as its Asia Regional Director in 2017, with stints in Vietnam, the Philippines, and India. He left CIP in February 2024 after nearly seven years of spearheading the Asia operations of the Peru-headquartered premier agriculture research institution.

Recently, he received the 2024 Top Agri-Food Pioneer award from the World Food Prize Foundation.

The award’s citation reads, “Samarendu Mohanty is a prominent agricultural economist specializing in international development and rural livelihoods. His research focuses on agricultural productivity, food security, and poverty reduction in developing countries.”

In November 2023, Mohanty was honoured with the World Rice Industry Global Service Award by The Rice Trader.

The citation for the award stated, “He has also been working with farmers in many Asian countries to improve their livelihood through technology adoption, seed system development and market linkages. Mohanty’s current focus is to sustainably intensify rice-potato cropping system through the introduction and scaling up of low-cost apical rooted cutting potato seed production technology.”

Mohanty is keen to work with the Indian state government and agencies to promote scientific and market-oriented farming techniques. He has not yet approached his home state government. However, he says he will happily work with them if a proposal comes through.